TITLE: CONCERNING THE EXPANSION OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN TO INCLUDE THOSE PREGNANT WOMEN WHO USE TOBACCO.

The provisions of this bill would require the director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to apply to the federal Health Care Financing Administration for approval of a state plan amendment or waiver allowing for federal financial participation in the provision of services to high-risk pregnant women who use tobacco. Subject to the approval of the federal government, the bill would require the state to make available tobacco counseling and treatment to any qualifying pregnant women who use tobacco. This bill would become effective upon signature of the Governor.

STATE FISCAL IMPACT SUMMARY	FY 1998/99	FY 1999/2000
State Revenues General Fund Other Fund
State Expenditures General Fund Federal Funds	$10,486 $10,835	$10,486 $10,835
FTE Position Change	None	None
Local Government Impact — None Identified.

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing currently provides alcohol and drug counseling and treatment services to Medicaid eligible pregnant women through the “Special Connections” program. This bill would expand those services to include persons who use tobacco. The bill would encourage health care practitioners for pregnant women to identify, and refer those women, who are at risk of poor birth outcomes due to the use of tobacco, to an approved and certified program.

The program currently serves about 300 high-risk pregnant women at an average cost of $711 per participant. Assuming that the provisions of this bill would increase the number of participants by 10 percent, this bill would increase expenditures for this program by a total of $21,321 a year, $10,486 in General Fund and $10,835 in federal funds. The actual amount of growth in the costs to include the treatment of tobacco abusers may be higher or lower than this estimate. The department has indicated that there would be no administrative cost to request the waiver.

This fiscal note implies that the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing would require additional spending authority of $21,321 a year, $10,486 in General Fund and $10,835 in federal funds, conditional on the approval of the federal waiver provisions contained in this bill.